Method and apparatus for reinforcing a typical roofing system

ABSTRACT

An adhesive coating and a net are applied to the upper surface of a preexisting roof in a manner effective for reinforcing and securing roof shingles when exposed to high wind conditions. A compressive force and a top coat may additionally be applied atop the net for added adhesion and durability. Appropriate application results in improved resistance to shingle damage, and subsequent building damage, during winds storms, gales, hurricanes, and any other high wind incidents. The method and apparatus may be used to retrofit existing buildings, without requiring partial or total removal of pre-existing roof shingles or other roof structures.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/781,394 filed with the USPTO on Mar. 11, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISK

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for reinforcing a shingled roof to withstand the destructive forces of wind and/or rain; more specifically, the present invention relates to an adhesive and a reinforcing net disposed in an overlying relationship with the upper surface of a roof.

2. Background Art

Property damage occurs on a daily basis due to extreme weather conditions such as wind gusts, gales, hurricanes and similar weather systems that produce high wind activity. Such events cause the loss of personal property when a roof covering is destroyed, exposing both the building interior and its contents to the same elements that caused the loss of the roof. Numerous attempts have been made to eliminate or limit the damage to roofs due to high winds and/or heavy rains, however, such attempts have largely proven to be unsuccessful or not commercially feasible.

For instance, some systems propose partial removal of existing roofs to allow installation of mechanical fastening systems to provide roof reinforcement. However, such methods are extremely labor intensive and, in view of the associated cost, have not met with a great deal of commercial success. Additionally, heavier gauge and/or reinforced shingles have been produced, but these are also costly due to the required removal of old shingles and reinstallation of the new reinforced shingles.

A problem with conventional shingles is that strong winds are capable of generating strong uplift forces in excess of 100 lbs./sq. ft., resulting in the tearing or shearing of shingles from their underlying support members. The use of mechanical fasteners, such as nails or screws, does not provide a surface area sufficient to withstand such forces without tearing the shingle around the fastener head. The heads of the fasteners tear through the shingle in a random fashion resulting in shingle loss and subsequent damage to the structure. Reinforcement with glues and various adhesives and the inclusion of additional standard mechanical fasteners have helped, but these fail to provide viable protection when exposed to high wind speeds including, but not limited to, hurricane-force winds. Use of adhesives on older roofs is again costly, and requires movement of the fragile shingles to dispose adhesive there below. Manipulating the shingles in such a manner can cause damage to the shingles in and of itself. During a storm, should one or more of the shingles become torn from the support members, the entire roof covering or a large portion thereof can easily be torn from the structure. The exposed interior of the building, along with its contents, are then subject to water and wind damage, resulting in extensive loss.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,289 issued to Karpinia discloses shingle straps composed of materials such as aluminum and steel that are positioned along each horizontal row of successive shingle layers to cause shingle tab detachment at a region demarcated by the reinforcing shingle strap. Such a device is fastened to the roof by nails, screws, or the like, and may involve manipulation of the pre-existing shingles in order to place the strap beneath the overlap of the immediately adjacent shingle row.

U.S. Pat. Appl. No. 2006/0075690 filed by Murray discloses a modular roof protector for periods of high winds. Mesh panels are placed over a roof and held down under tension by means of a fixed connection with anchor points along the home's foundation, the underside of mobile homes or pre-installed earth anchors. The disclosed device is fast and easy to deploy, and is only meant as a temporary reinforcement that is removed and then redeployed for later, successive high wind incidents.

While it is generally understood how to make a structure capable of surviving significant hurricane winds, the cost of retrofitting an already constructed home to the standards of a modern fully engineered building is generally prohibitive. The prior art does not define a fast, easy, and economically feasible means by which a typical home built with common construction materials and techniques can be reinforced against wind damage on a permanent basis by a homeowner, wherein the retrofit home will perform as a fully engineered building would in hurricane or near-hurricane conditions.

A need therefore exists for an economical method for retrofitting existing homes to withstand damage from high wind storms such as hurricanes. A further need exists for a roof reinforcing method that does not require the laborious removal or manipulation of pre-existing roofing materials. Yet another need exists for a roof reinforcing method that is durable, relatively permanent in nature, and would not require setup and removal, thereafter, during specific incidents of high wind activity.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An inventive method for reinforcing a typical roofing system is disclosed, comprising the steps of applying an adhesive to the upper shingled surface of a roof, and disposing a net over the adhesive on the upper shingled surface of the roof, wherein the adhesive adheres the net to the upper shingled surface of the roof.

The present inventive method may further include the step of applying a compressive force to the net, wherein the net is compressed against both the adhesive and the upper surface of the roof. Still further, the present inventive method may include the step of applying a top coat material onto the net, the adhesive and the roof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventionally shingled roof having an adhesive sprayed onto the roof shingles.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the conventionally shingled roof coated with adhesive of FIG. 1, having a net disposed on top of the adhesive and over the upper surface of the roof.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the roof, adhesive, and net of FIG. 2, further having an additional top coat of material applied over the net and upper surface of the roof.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the roof, adhesive, net, and top coat of FIG. 3, wherein the adhesive and top coat have dried, thus both protecting and adhering the net to the upper surface of the roof.

FIG. 5 is a top view of one embodiment of the net, wherein the vertical portions of the net are aligned to bisect the shingle flaps of every other horizontal row of shingles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is for use with majority of shingle types currently available in the marketplace. Such shingles are exemplified by, but not limited to, tile shingles and shingles made with a substrate of either organic fiber saturated with asphalt or chopped glass fiber with a urea-formaldehyde binder. For example, a typical shingle consists of a substrate first coated with a mixture of asphalt and fillers such as limestone, sand or stone dust. The coated substrate then is covered with colored granules to give aesthetic appeal to the front of the shingles. In some instances, a parting agent may be applied to the back of the substrate so that the packaged shingles do not stick together. Additionally, an asphalt sealant may be placed on the granulated side of the shingles to enhance adhesion to the back of covering shingles in the final applied configuration. Although shingles manufactured in this manner are affordable and generally perform well in a wide variety of applications, such shingles will not withstand extreme weather conditions, including but not limited to high winds, and are characteristic of one of the weakest types of shingles. The present invention operates independently of the particular shingle, despite its own structural strength, providing universal applicability to a wide range of roofing situations and materials. Because the net of the present invention is not a part of the shingle, the present inventive method adhesively disposes the applied net onto rooftop shingles to aid in prevention of shearing of the free ends of the shingles.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-5, a method of reinforcing a typical shingle roofing system in accordance with the present invention will be described. Typical shingle roofs 10 have overlapping offset standard shingles 11. As further depicted in FIG. 1, the present inventive method may be initiated by applying 12 an adhesive 14 to the upper surface of any pre-existing roof 10. The application 12 of the adhesive 14 can be accomplished by any means known within the art, including but not limited to, spraying, brushing or rolling application methods. FIG. 1 depicts the spray application of adhesive 14 onto the shingles 11 of the roof 10. Preferably, the adhesive 14 may be clear in appearance and allow casual observers to view the underlying shingle 11 coloring in an unobstructed manner.

The applied adhesive 14 may be any adhesive or glue known within the art capable of adhering the net 15 to the shingled 11 upper surface of the roof 10. Examples of such adhesives include, but are not limited to, liquid nylon, shingle adhesives, shingle cements, roof patch materials, roof coating materials, polyurethane adhesives, and any other suitable materials known within the art.

FIG. 2 depicts the net 15 disposed on the adhesive-coated upper surface of the roof 10. The placement of the net 15 onto the shingles 11 of the roof 10 may be accomplished and facilitated by any means known within the art, including but not limited to rolling out bundles of the netting 15 across the adhesive-coated roof 10 surface. The net 15 may be composed of material selected from the group consisting of, but not limited to, nylon, polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, combinations thereof, and any other materials known within the art. The elements of the net 15 may also be constructed in a variety of forms including, but not limited to, monofilament or multifilament varieties. Preferably, the net 15 may be clear in appearance and allow casual observers to view the underlying shingle 11 coloring in an unobstructed manner.

With the net 15 in position on the roof 10, a compressive force may then be applied to the net 15 to more closely conform the net 15 to the profile of the shingles 11 on the roof 10. Such a compressive force may be generated by a great number of means, including but not limited to, any tool or object capable of being pressed down upon the net 15 after the net 15 is disposed on the upper surface of the roof 10. Unique task specific tools may also be used, wherein the bottom surface of the tool closely matches the roof 10 profile to enhance the task of conforming the net 15 to the exact contour of the roof 10 surface.

As depicted in FIG. 3, once the net 15 is in place a top coat material 22 may be applied 20 over the upper surface of the roof 10. The top coat 22 serves to cover the net 15, the adhesive 14, and roof 10. Optimally, the characteristics and properties of the top coat 22 may help to provide a beneficial trait, including but not limited to, durability, thermal stress resistance, structural integrity, tensile strength, pliability, and resistance to ozone, ultraviolet, oxidation, humidity and/or corrosive environments. Examples of such top coat materials 22 include, but are not limited to, liquid nylon, polyurethane sealant or coating, known roof patch material, known roof coating material, known roof membranes, and any other materials known within the art. Additional top coat materials may be found in the soil stabilizer, dust control, and construction/soil sealer arts. As an example, Enviroseal Corp., a Florida corporation, markets water-based acrylic industrial sealers (e.g. Duraseal™, Roof-Guard 101™, and Roof-Guard 102™) and acrylic soil stabilizers (M10+50™, LDC™, and LBS™). Such top coat acrylic industrial sealers have proven effective in repelling water, ultraviolet rays, oil, mold and mildew, while such acrylic soil stabilizers improve adhesion, abrasion resistance, flexural strength, and exterior durability. Preferably, the top coat 22 may be clear in appearance and allow casual observers to view the underlying shingle 11 coloring in an unobstructed manner. The properties of many top coat materials listed above further allow their use as the adhesive 14 component in the method of the present invention.

FIG. 4 depicts a roof 10 after a method of the present invention has been completed. A top coat 22 is disposed over the net 15, which is held to the shingles 11 of the roof 10 by the applied adhesive 14.

The net 15 of the present invention may be provided in a wide variety of configurations. Such configurations include, but are not limited to, square grids, rectangular grids, diamond-shape grids, and any non-uniform randomized mesh pattern. FIG. 5 depicts an embodiment of the net 15 configuration where the net 15 comprises vertical portions 16 that are disposed perpendicular to the drip edge of the roof 10, and horizontal portions 18 that are disposed parallel to the drip edge of the roof 10. The drip edge of a roof is defined as a roof edge that is parallel to the ground, i.e. horizontal. In use, at least one vertical portion 16 will be disposed over each shingle flap 24. In the configuration depicted in FIG. 5, vertical portions 16 of the net 15 approximately bisect each shingle flap 24 of every other horizontal row of shingles 11. Due to the standard offset pattern used in most shingle installations, the vertical portion 16 may approximately bisect a first shingle flap 24. The vertical portion 16 may then fall within the groove between the shingle flaps 24 of the first overlain horizontal shingle 11 row (see FIG. 5), and thereafter the vertical portion 16 may bisect the shingle flap 24 of the second overlain horizontal shingle 11 row.

The present inventive method may also be applied to various roofing surfaces including, but not limited to, asphalt shingles, tile shingles, slate shingles, composite shingles (e.g. rock, clay, fiberglass, etc.), wood shingles, metal shingles and architectural shingles. The method steps described above can easily be adapted for use in any of the above roof applications. As an example, tile roofs may require the selection of an adhesive 14 known in the art to bond more effectively to tile shingles. Additionally, if the net 15 is to be compressed, a tool specifically configured to match the contours of the tile roof may be employed to facilitate the compression process. Thus, the method of reinforcing a typical roofing system of the present invention may be used to retrofit pre-existing structures that possess a great number of conventional roofing systems currently in the marketplace.

While the above descriptions contain much specificity, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any embodiment, but as exemplifications of the presently preferred embodiments thereof. Many other ramifications and variations are possible within the teachings of the various embodiments.

Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and not by the examples given. 

1. An apparatus for reinforcing an upper surface of a rooftop, comprising: an adhesive disposed on said upper surface of said rooftop; and a net disposed on said adhesive and said upper surface of said rooftop.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said upper surface of said rooftop comprises material selected from the group consisting of asphalt shingles, tile shingles, slate shingles, composite shingles, wood shingles, metal shingles and architectural shingles.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a top coat material disposed on an upper surface of said net, said adhesive and said upper surface of said rooftop.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein vertical portions of said net run perpendicular to the drip edge of said rooftop and approximately bisect each shingle flap of every other horizontal row of shingles on said rooftop.
 5. A method for reinforcing a typical roofing system, comprising the steps of: applying an adhesive on the upper shingle surface of a roof; and disposing a net over said adhesive, wherein said adhesive adheres said net to said upper shingle surface of said roof.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein said upper shingle surface of said roof comprises material selected from the group consisting of asphalt shingles, tile shingles, slate shingles, composite shingles, wood shingles, metal shingles and architectural shingles.
 7. The method of claim 5, wherein vertical portions of said net run perpendicular to the drip edge of said roof and approximately bisect each shingle flap of every other horizontal row of said shingles on said roof.
 8. The method of claim 5, wherein said net is composed of material selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyester, polypropylene, and polyethylene.
 9. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of: applying a compressive force to said net, wherein said net is compressed against said adhesive and said upper shingle surface of said roof.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein vertical portions of said net run perpendicular to the drip edge of said roof and approximately bisect each shingle flap of every other horizontal row of said shingles on said roof.
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein said net is composed of material selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyester, polypropylene, and polyethylene.
 12. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of: applying a top coat material onto said net, said adhesive and said roof.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein vertical portions of said net run perpendicular to the drip edge of said roof and approximately bisect each shingle flap of every other horizontal row of said shingles on said roof.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein said net is composed of material selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyester, polypropylene, and polyethylene.
 15. The method of claim 12, wherein said top coat material is selected from the group consisting of liquid nylon, polyurethane sealants, polyurethane coatings, water-based acrylic industrial sealers, and acrylic soil stabilizers.
 16. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of: applying a top coat material onto said net, said adhesive and said roof.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein vertical portions of said net run perpendicular to the drip edge of said roof and approximately bisect each shingle flap of every other horizontal row of said shingles on said roof.
 18. The method of claim 16, wherein said net is composed of material selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyester, polypropylene, and polyethylene.
 19. The method of claim 16, wherein said top coat material is selected from the group consisting of liquid nylon, polyurethane sealants, polyurethane coatings, water-based acrylic industrial sealers, and acrylic soil stabilizers.
 20. A method for reinforcing a typical roofing system, comprising the steps of: applying an adhesive to the upper shingle surface of a roof; overlaying a monofilament nylon net on said upper shingle surface of said roof, wherein said monofilament nylon net comprises vertical portions running perpendicular to the drip edge of said roof, wherein said vertical portions of said monofilament nylon net approximately bisect shingle flaps in alternating horizontal rows of said shingles on said roof; compressing said net against said adhesive and said upper shingle surface of said roof; and applying a top coat of material onto said net, said adhesive, and said upper shingle surface of said roof. 